2 left: Special Ed and Professional Expectations!!
The NDFL is a way of thinking about and understanding the various skills and capacities that are part of any learning endeavor. It looks at various brain functions, and the learning tasks they support.
The framework of NDFL includes eight functions of the brain comes which have been identified through clinical research. These are: Attention, Memory, Spatial and Temporal Thinking, Language, Social Cognition, Neuromotor, and Higher Order Cognition.
Promoting a positive view of neurodevelopmental diversity
Using neurodevelopmental profiles instead of labels
Seeking specific understanding about each kid
Labeling observable phenomena and not the child
Being collaborative (working with students, professionals and parents all together)
Strengthen the strengths and affinities of learners: Strengths in some areas can be used to prop up weaknesses in other areas.
Demystification- learning more about the learning process
Metacognition - learning more about how you learn best
Promoting optimism about yourself and others as a learner
This tool (which has a back side with less dense text) is useful in starting the conversation with learners about the 8 Functions of learning.
Students and staff are all encouraged to explore their strengths and challenges, and build their shared language of learning, by taking the Learner Sketch Tool survey (below). It's an excellent way to do all 9 of the NDFL premises.